[ Editor’s Note: Votes for the Best New Landmark of 2009 are no longer being accepted as of 5:00pm on December 2. Congratulations to Presentation Academy for winning the Best New Landmark of 2009 survey. Read more about the winning projects over here. ]
That’s right. We’re taking a reader survey to figure out the best new landmark of 2009. Not only that, but we’ve partnered with local architect Steve Wiser to provide prizes for two lucky survey respondents!
Beginning today, you can nominate your choice for Best New Landmark of 2009 (details below). The contest runs through Wednesday, December 2 at 5:00pm and we’ll announce the winners on Friday, December 4. Two lucky readers will be randomly selected from all entries received (one per person allowed). Prizes include Steve Wiser’s new book Louisville Tapestry: People & Places Who Helped Create America’s Most Livable City and the DVD Louisville Landmarks & Legends.
With the help of Steve Wiser, we’ve compiled a list of twenty new construction projects in Jefferson County and Southern Indiana to help you with the survey process. Most of these projects have appeared on Broken Sidewalk in the past, but there are a few that haven’t. We’re considering any new construction such as buildings or public art that hit the scene in 2009. If you can think of a new landmark that deserves the top prize, please feel free to nominate it in your response. Just remember, the building must  have been completed in 2009!
To enter, simply send an email to bs@brokensidewalk.com with “Best New Landmark of 2009” in the subject line. Include your name, age, occupation, and neighborhood in the message along with your choice for Best New Landmark of 2009. If you like, qualify your nomination with a short description of why you like the building (some responses may be published anonymously).
Don’t worry, we won’t let anyone have access to your information, it’s completely anonymous. We will name the winners (only using the supplied name) at the end of the contest. Broken Sidewalk has been growing lately and we just want to get to know our readers a little better to create a better site for you.
[ Editor’s Note: Added new user submitted listings to the bottom of the list after the click. Tell us if you know of another new construction project from 2009 that should be on the list. Please remember this is a survey of new construction only. Renovation projects will have their own survey at a later date. ]
Here’s a list of twenty projects completed in 2009. You can choose from this list or nominate another project not listed here. We’re missing a small amount of data on a couple of them (as noted below), so if you can fill us in, send an email to bs@brokensidewalk.com.
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Name: 801 East Broadway Neighborhood: Phoenix Hill Architect: Kersey & Kersey [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Art & Athletic Center, Presentation Academy [ Visit ] Neighborhood: SoBro Architect: Gil Stein & AssociatesCoverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Bellamy Apartments [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Park Hill Architect: Humphreys & Partners and Joseph & JosephCoverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Butchertown Firehouse Neighborhood: Butchertown Architect: Studio A Architecture [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Chamberlain Pointe Neighborhood: Summit Retail Corridor Architect: Bayus Evola Architects [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Cliff View Terrace [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Clifton Heights Architect: Isaacs Associates Architects [ Visit ] |
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Name: Clinical & Translation Research Building [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Medical Center Architect: Arrasmith, Judd, Rapp, Chovan, Inc. [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: First Capital Bank of Kentucky [ Visit ] Neighborhood: East End Architect: Tell us |
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Name: Fleur de Lis Condos [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Downtown Architect: Potter & Associates [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Healing Place [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Park Hill Architect: K. Norman Berry Associates [Â Visit ] |
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Name: Lincoln Memorial [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Waterfront Park Designer: Ed Hamilton [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: McAlpine Locks & Bridge [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Portland Engineer: U.S. Corps of Engineers [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: New Albany Amphitheater [ Visit ] Neighborhood: New Albany Architect: Qk4 Architecture [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Newburg Branch Library [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Newburg Architect: Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle [ Visit ] |
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Name: Phoenix Lofts Neighborhood: Original Highlands Designer: Girdler GroupCoverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Portland Firehouse Neighborhood: Portland Architect: Keyes Architects [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: Siena Secondo [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Bellarmine University Architect: Godsey Associates Architects [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
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Name: St. Luke’s Chapel at Episcopal Church Home [ Visit ] Neighborhood: East End Architect: K. Norman Berry Associates [ Visit ] |
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Name: St. Mary Academy [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Norton Commons Area Architect: Voelker, Blackburn, Niehoff Architects [ Visit ] |
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Name: ZirMed Towers [ Visit ] Neighborhood: Downtown Architect: City Properties Group [ Visit ]Coverage on Broken Sidewalk |
Recent additions to the list:
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Name: Norton Commons Firehouse Neighborhood: Norton Commons Area Architect: Luckett & Farley & Studio Kremer |
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Name: Westport Village [ Visit ] Neighborhood: East End Architect: Studio A Architecture [ Visit ] |
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Name: St. Matthews Corner (Bauer & Lex) Neighborhood: St. Matthews Architect: Forza Architecture [ Visit ] |
| No photo available.Send in a photo. | Name: Mt. Olive Community Center (419 Caldwell St.) Neighborhood: Smoketown Architect: Tell us. |
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Name: Oldham County Main Library [ Visit ] Neighborhood: LaGrange Architect: Robert Ehmet Hayes & Associates[ Photo by Moberly Photography ] |
St Mary Academy!
Vote for Saint Mary Academy
I agree — Vote for Saint Mary Academy
Remember that votes must be submitted through e.mail as described above to be counted. Feel free to discuss the survey all you like in the comments, though.
WestPort Village!!!!
I agree-Vote for St. Mary’s
Monarchs Reign…Vote for St. Mary Academy!
My vote goes to the new bridge over the locks at McAlpine Locks and Dam.
It is officially named the Portland-Shippingport Bridge in honor of the 2 historic communities, one extant, the other extinct.
The Louisville Historical League has named it a new landmark.
Is the best vote for St. Mary Academy
I urge you to vote for the best, not comment on a popularity contest. Many people who use the St. Mary building have commented on how poorly it functions. Is that good architecture?
For transforming an important corner in Louisville yet honoring tremendously its original architecture, Presentation Academy’s Art & Athletic Center. A beautiful job well done. It’s size might be a little suspect to win the new Landmark award however it gets my vote for the quality of its work.
the presentation project's 'honoring' of the old is exactly what i don't like about it. it's a big block of a building with faux-historic trimmings.
the interesting things about the landmarks of our past is that they were usually among the most progressive work of their time. a few of these approach the quality of our legacy landmarks, but just a few…
I’m biased, but what the hell: The Church at 801 East Main Street.
now you’re talkin’, pip. a good architect with a great client allowing him to do what he does best. the only challenge to its potential ‘new landmark’ status being that you can’t seem much of the stunning new work from the outside.
I’m sure it seems apples and oranges: the Lincoln park is sculpture and landscaping, not architecture, but I would imagine that a hundred years from now it will be the site that still matters.
I vote for St. Mary Academy.
I’m sorry, but St. Mary Academy looks like big box econo-architecture – tone deaf to materials and history.
In light of what other institutions throw up as architecture (pun intended) I find the Presentation Center to be quite attractive. It beats by miles the normal hat tip to history that would be expected. The Center also ties in the housing developments to its west.
I hate to make any comment to take away from this fun challenge, which is a great idea, but in my humble opinion the only true landmark featured is the Lincoln Memorial. In a “Best New Architecture” challenge, many of these unique buildings would be apt, but in “Best New Landmark”, the Lincoln Memorial is hard to beat.
My choice is the Portland-Shippingport bridge over the McAlpine Locks and Dam.It is a landmark which will be there for many years and become a symbol of river traffic on the Ohio River to identify Louisville .
Presentation’s new Arts and Athletic Center is a wonderful addition to downtown Louisville. It combines history of their historical main building with a modern look.
There is without a doubt, the best new landmark of 2009 is Presentations new Art and Athletic building.
What a great addition it has made to downtown. I have attended Focus on Louisville and heard all the great things about our city and I think Presentation has supported this by staying downtown and supporting it heritage. We see so many other big name schools leaving the downtown area. Louisville is trying to bring back our downtown and make it one of the best in the United states and I think Presentation has done Louisville well by staying in its downtown location and expanding and developing such a great new building.
Kudos for Presentation and its new building.
Presentation Academy Arts and Athletic Center is by far the best new “landmark.” Other buildings are well adorned and constructed, but if the focus is landmark, Pres has it in the bag.
Great building—–it adds so much to Presentation and to the neighborhood !!
Pres has always had class and style and shows it in their new athletic Center. It is beautiful and of course always is a compliment to downtown Louisville.
You've got to seriously consider Westport Village. If you look at what the original Camelot complex was versus today it's amazing. Plus good to see new businesses coming in to the city.
My vote goes to the Portland-Shippingport Bridge. It’s that form-function thing that seems to be missing in the majority of today’s built enviroment.
Also, I am confused by this online pep-rally for St. Mary’s. I drive by it almost daily and I thought the nominees had to be finished in 2009. Oh, wait, someone just told me that it is finished…. my bad.
Have watched the Westport Village renovation since it started. Knew it was going to be a winner from the beginning. Great architecture and very attractive venue. Just hope the upscale shops succeed.
I vote for the Presentation Academy Arts and Athletic Center. It is a wonderful building, a companion to the historic building which houses many of the academic classrooms, located on the opposite corner. You see the connection right away.
It is amazing all that is contained inside the building.
A beautiful addition to the downtown, Fourth Street corridor.
I think Westport Village will prove to be the most significant catalyst in economic development terms. When coupled with the new I-264 Westport exchange and other area road improvements, it seems the Westport corridor is well positioned for significant economic growth. Someone has to have the vision and take the lead. In my view, Westport Village is out in front of that Westport corridor transformation. Therefore, I believe Westport Village is the Best New Landmark of 2009.
Vote for St. Luke's Chapel at The Episcopal Church Home. Founded in 1881, The Episcopal Church Home's Mission is To Enhance the Quality of Life for Older Adults Through a Supportive Christian Community.
I voted for Cliff View Terrace, but that is because I will only vote for buildings I have visited or are otherwise familiar with. Of the list of buildings above, I have only been in three and this is the best of those three. Besides its lively color, this building is relatively "green".
I feel that an honorable mention needs to go to the work Bellarmine has done up on that hillside… You talk about a structure, an environment that really takes your breath away. They created something very special for Louisville and have proven their determination to bring a top-tier private University to the city. I recommend taking a trip up and walking through the campus. Truly one of the South’s best secrets.
Westport Village a shopping center that was reborn from the old Camolot
shopping center to something that is just plain to describe.
Anyone who saw the BIG changes would have to vote for WESTPORT VILLAGE
The Presentation Academy Arts & Athletic Building is a significant new construction inan area that is vital addition to the renewal initiative of the City of Louisville to preserve and renovate the Fourth Ave corridor. Presentation Academy sits as a link between the downtown and the corridor toward UofL and Churchill Downs.
Ed Hamilton's Lincoln gets my vote for Best New Landmark.
Honorable Mention: Chamberlain Pointe gets best new strip mall. Nevermind the "Tempest in a teapot" flagellations about copied architecture. This venue is a vast improvement over most any small neighborhood retail center.
the green building
I think that the architecture of the Chamberlain Point project is refreshing. It is a welcome departure from the tin crap that we see in most strip malls. If you don't like it, don't go there. I think your severe criticism of this development is way off base. If the developers did an exact replication, you would probably ding them for plagerism or what ever the word is for brick and mortar. Who ever gave you the wisdom to think your ideas should be followed must have been the village idiot.
I think this development's architecture should be encouraged.
I would have to vote for the “Modern Shotgun House” on Hull Street as featured on BS back in April here: http://brokensidewalk.com/2009/04/15/modern-shotgun-house-could-be-future-prototype/
I know it is not on the list and that there are some people that have some problems with the scale and design of the building, but I think we need more people experimenting with infill projects like this. There are other examples like the two white shotgun style homes on East Chestnut near Campbell in Phoenix Hill. Though I love the historic homes in Louisville and live in a 1920s home, it feels like we try to preserve the past too often when considering new home construction. It is refreshing to turn a corner and see something unexpected like this.
I also like the modern three story building on Eastern Parkway near Bardstown road, but it is still under construction and thus would not qualify as a 2009 Landmark.
South bro area, Arts and Athletic Center Presentation Academy
ron – chamberlain pointe is as exact a replication as they could have made, when you take into account that they were using much cheaper materials, glommed multiple faux-landmarks together insensitively, and didn’t know the stylistic and proportional rules of the original architecture.
I agree with Patrick about the shotgun reimagining. I wouldn’t want wholesale remaking of shotgun districts, but ‘ahas’ of good modern design among the traditional add to the spirit of a place and call attention to the potential of such places and spaces.